Written by: Louise North, Principal
We are often reminded through the hymns we sing in Chapel of God’s faithfulness, the fact that he doesn’t change in his support and compassion for us, that he stays with us no matter what happens and no matter what we do or say.
We all need to know that there is someone or something who believes in us no matter what, someone who has faith in us regardless of what is going on in our lives. No matter how awful we have been, no matter how bad things might get, it’s a comfort to know that someone somewhere is rooting for us.
For some of us, it will be a spiritual faith that keeps us believing that things will get better, for others it will be the steadfast support of a friend, for others it will be the faithfulness of your dog who is there for you when you get home, ready to smother you in love, no matter what has happened.
For some of you it will be all of those things. The important thing is that you know you are not alone.
I take great comfort from a poem that will probably be familiar to many of you. At times of real sadness or uncertainty or doubt, the words in this poem bring me reassurance and peace of mind. If you don’t believe in God, you can easily replace the word Lord with Friend.
I hope that the words bring you comfort as they do me.
Footsteps
One night I had a dream…
I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord, and
Across the sky flashed scenes from my life. For each scene I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand; One belonged to me, and the other to the Lord. When the last scene of my life flashed before us, I looked back at the footprints in the sand. I noticed that many times along the path of my life, there was only one set of footprints.
I also noticed that it happened at the very lowest
and saddest times in my life
This really bothered me, and I questioned the Lord about it.
“Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you,
You would walk with me all the way;
But I have noticed that during the
most troublesome times in my life,
There is only one set of footprints.
I don’t understand why in times when I
needed you the most, you should leave me.
The Lord replied, “My precious, precious
child. I love you, and I would never,
never leave you during your times of
trial and suffering.
When you saw only one set of footprints,
It was then that I carried you.
